


A Bit Of Help

by Leni



Series: The Real Fairytale [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 11:38:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9547520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: Belle’s experience with sobbing teenage girls was theoretical at best.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: “I’m not pretty, I look like an ugly, dirty rat.” 
> 
> (February prompts)

Belle had been a loner as a young girl, always sneaking into a quiet spot during recess to read her books. Friends were a commodity she had found later in life, after her roommate at college had all but strong-armed her into joining the outside world.

As a result, Belle’s experience with sobbing teenage girls was theoretical at best.

“There, there,” she tried, giving a soft pat on Emma’s shoulder.

Emma only cried louder.

Belle glanced up at her husband, but his eyes were wide in horror as he took in the scene and he was already retreating toward the stairs as fast as his cane allowed him. _Coward_ , she mouthed.

Robert gave a shrug. _I owe you,_  he said back.

As interesting as it would be to discover how he intended to pay back, it still left her alone with a problem she had little idea how to approach. She gathered the girl closer, realizing her mistake when far from allowing Emma to rest her head on her shoulder, the movement ended with an awkward hug as the girl towered over her.

What a bad day to be relaxing at home in flat-soled sneakers. 

“Should I call your parents?” she asked, inwardly hoping either David or Mary Margaret would sweep in to save the day.

Emma shook her head vehemently.

As the girl still gave no clue about her sudden outburst at the Golds’ front door, Belle only gave her a few more pats. After a few minutes, Emma seemed to calm down, and at last she took a deep breath and pulled away. When she faced Belle again, the color on her cheeks was high and she avoided to meet Belle’s gaze. 

“Sorry,” mumbled Emma. “That wasn’t embarrassing at all.”

She would have turned around to leave, suddenly in a hurry, but Belle caught onto her wrist. “Hey,” she said softly, but didn’t loosen her grasp even when Emma tugged away. “Is there something I can do to help?”

Emma shook her head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

Belle had lived her whole life around people who wouldn’t know how to accept help if it stood on their noses and made faces at them. Her father had always claimed she didn’t need to worry about anything even as she saw their life crumbling around them, and her husband’s and stepson’s first reaction to any sincere offer of assistance was wariness followed by assurances that they were fine.

It seemed that Neal’s girlfriend was made of that same cloth.

“Try me,” Belle said. When Emma faltered, she insisted. “I’ve known you for a year, Emma. I know you’re not one to overreact. It’s important, isn’t it?”

Emma pursed her lips together, but nodded.

“Then I’m afraid that if you won’t let me call your parents so they can help you, I'll have to do." More kindly, she added, "I can’t just let you leave in good conscience, my dear.”

With a huff, Emma plopped down onto the nearest seat.

More carefully, Belle chose to sit beside her. For a long moment, only the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the living room made any noise. Belle glanced at the younger girl, but Emma only stared back, not looking stubborn as much as worried about how to word it.

“Is it about Neal?” Belle guessed.

“...I guess.”

 Her stepson was a sweet, pleasant boy. He also was a human being who made mistakes as often as anyone else. “He... didn’t break up with you over the phone, or anything like that, did he?”

Because if he had, Neal would be a human being with a huge dent in his skull from the book she was tossing at him the next time she saw him. The accompanying lecture he could get from his father.

Robert wasn’t terribly fond of Emma, but he was a fair man above all.

“No,” Emma said. Then her face crumpled. “Did he mention anything like that?”

 _Great going, Belle Gold,_  Belle berated herself, _now you’ve given the already upset girl something new to worry about._

“No. Of course not! I just thought....”

Emma shook her head. “I mean, I thought he would. College guys aren’t exactly known to keep their senior girlfriends dangling behind them for long.” Her shoulders slumped. “He met so many other girls this year... Older girls. Prettier girls.”

“You’re pretty!”

Fingering her loose t-shirt, Emma scowled. “I’m not pretty. I look like an ugly, dirty rat. And I’ll only get worse,” she grumbled.

Belle barely kept herself from rolling her eyes. But she knew when drama had to be left aside to focus on the important facts. “And you don’t need to worry, dear. Neal never would-”

Emma didn’t let her finish. “My dad cheated on his first wife. With my mom,” she said calmly, as if it were a simple fact about her parents’ courtship. Belle supposed that in the Nolan household, it was. “Even good guys are cheaters, Mrs. Gold.”

“Neal wouldn’t,” Belle repeated. A panicked retreat when feelings got too tangled, that was a move more likely to be done by the father than the son, but men could be foolish sometimes. However, flawed human being or not, Neal worshiped the ground Emma stepped on. There was no way he would cheat. “Hey, take it from me. I know what a Gold guy looks like when he’s in love.”

Emma blushed.

Now that it seemed that there were no more tears in the near future, Belle leaned in a little and took Emma’s hands between hers. “Emma, darling? You’re not really worried that Neal will take up with someone else.” She didn’t bother to phrase that as a question. It wasn’t. “You came here because you believe we can help you, right?”

Emma gave a little, anguished nod.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

Emma squeezed her hands, hard enough that her short nails sank into Belle’s skin. Then took a deep breath. 

And announced her news.

 

The End  
01/02/17

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love!


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